Review of T2 Trainspotting (2017) by Sophie W — 11 Feb 2017

Better late than never here is my review of T2: Trainspotting.

The original Trainspotting released in 1996 was the film of a generation arriving at the height of rule Britiannia & brit pop. A perfect embodiment of the youth of the time. The sequel arriving over 20 years later (at least 10 years overdue).......not so much.

Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place he can ever call home. His friends who he betrayed are waiting for him: Spud (Ewen Bremner) still struggling with heroin addiction, Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller) making a living as a blackmailer and hopeful pimp, and Begbie (Robert Carlyle) newly escaped from prison and looking for retribution. These one time friends are all drawn together for another journey through the seedy underbelly of Edinburgh.

First things first this film is not even close to the original in terms of quality. The script & story are scattershot at best. That is not to say the film does not have its moments. One scene in a nightclub toilet in particular is a stand out. The biggest problem the film has is it feels abit unnecessary. The original did not need a sequel let alone one two decades later.

Another issue the film cannot recover from is the sense of growing old. The original had a youthful exuberance this film cannot provide. To be fair it does come close particularly in a great scene with Renton & Sick Boy having a bender after a successful con. But the fact the main characters are now middle aged just makes the whole thing abit depressing. It's like catching up with an old school friend who was once the life of the party only to find they are now safe & abit boring.

Another misstep is the handling of one of the main characters. Renton, Spud & Sick Boy are all fine but Begbie is now a borderline characture. He even becomes a kind of slasher film villan in the climax as an understandably angry Begbie hunts Renton around an old pub. It does not feel very Trainspottingy. Also as an escaped convict you would think the authorities would try looking for him at his house......well you would be wrong.

One of the worst scenes in the film is the choose life scene. In the original its in voice over as Renton is being chased for shoplifting. Its pulpulsive. Here Renton goes on a rant in a posh restaurant because somebody asks him about what choose life means. It's as bad as it sounds.

Danny Boyle is a great film maker but this is a misfire. It's watchable and has some good moments but certainly its not worth the wait. The continuous flashbacks don't help either, constantly reminding the audience of a much better film.

Choose life.......choose the original instead.